Notes:Sudo

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SUDO Instructions

"sudo" is a command that can make your life much simpler. See the sudo manpage. After you set it up that is! By adding a couple of lines to your /etc/sudoers file (using the "visudo" command to edit this file), you'll be able to run a few commands as root without having to type the root password each time. Another thing you can do at that point is automate the entire update process via a script. Here's how to set all of this up:

Type "su" to become the root user, then type "visudo". This will bring up the "vi" editor on the /etc/sudoers file. If you'd like to learn more about what I'm going to describe, type "man sudoers" in another window and read about this file. Another man-page that is useful here is the "man sudo" page.

Back to the editing: There's a section in there for user alias. Mine is labeled "# User alias specification". Add a line there that reads like this:

User_Alias XASTIR = username1, username2, username3

where username1, etc, are valid usernames that you wish to be able to do Xastir installs. For instance you might have:

User_Alias XASTIR = mikey

Next, add a line near the bottom that reads like this:

XASTIR ALL = NOPASSWD: /bin/chmod, /usr/bin/make

Now write out and close the file. At this point the "mikey" user will have root permissions when he/she runs the commands "/bin/chmod" or "/usr/bin/make". Make sure the paths to those programs are correct for your system.

Exit from "su" so that you're a regular (non-root) user again.

Now, in the "xastir" source directory (mine is in "~/src/xastir"), create a script that reads like this. I named my script "update-xastir" but nearly any name for the script will do:

Actually, we've just created a script for Xastir that implements the above and called it "update-xastir". Do a "git pull" to get it. Try out the script. Type:

./update-xastir

It should run through the entire update/configure/make/install process for Xastir. Remember to either change to the proper xastir directory before running it, or add a "cd" command at the beginning of the script so that it will run in the proper directory in all cases. If you add the proper "cd" command you can copy the script to /usr/local/bin and then run it as "update-xastir" from anywhere.

Windows users: You may need to remove the "sudo" keyword on each line to have it work properly for you.

A note from Gerry Creager as to another way to set up the sudoers file:

"I now consider it a good idea to add the "gifted" users to the 'wheel' group and then solely enable wheel in /etc/sudoers; I've seen a recent article also supporting this."